The Champaran Satyagraha, which took place in 1917, was a significant event in Mahatma Gandhi's journey of nonviolent resistance and played a crucial role in shaping the Indian Freedom Struggle. 

Here are the key details and outcomes of the Champaran Satyagraha:

Background of Champaran Satyagraha

Champaran is a district in Bihar's northwestern region with a historical significance in indigo cultivation since the late 18th century. By 1850, indigo had surpassed sugar as the most crucial crop grown in Champaran.

The Tinkathia system was the predominant method for indigo cultivation in Champaran, implemented by European planters. Under this system, the ryot was obligated to cultivate indigo on 3/20th of his landholding.

Post-1900, the indigo factories in Bihar witnessed a decline due to competition from European synthetic indigo. In an attempt to mitigate losses, planters initiated the cancellation of their indigo-growing contracts with the ryots, imposing a Tawan (damages) of up to Rs. 100 per bigha to release them from this obligation. In cases where ryots couldn't make a cash payment, handnotes and mortgage bonds were issued at a 12 percent annual interest rate.

Tinkathia System

• Prevalent System: Tinkathia dominated Champaran
• Factory Owners' Influence:
• Convinced tenants to grow indigo in a specific area
• Fixed price paid to tenants
• 1860 Changes:
• Initially, indigo reserved area was 5 Kathas per bigha or one-fourth of tenant's holding
• Later, in 1867, reduced to 3 Kathas per bigha
• System named Tinkathia thereafter

Establishment of Factories:

• Ownership Dynamics:
• Factory owners had no permanent interest in land
• Took short-term leases from Bettiah Raj (second-largest zamindari in Bettiah region, Bihar)
• Deceptive Practices:
• Deceived Bettiah Raj by renting land at low prices
• Had tenants grow indigo for profit
• Profit and Loss:
• Factory owners profited significantly from indigo
• Tenants were the sole losers

Agreements and Consequences:

• Tenant Commitments:
• Agreements for tenants to grow indigo on 3 Kathas per bigha for several years
• Factory selected the area reserved for indigo
• Payment Dynamics:
• Fixed price per bigha if crops were good
• Reduced price if crop yield was not favorable
• Liabilities for Tenants:
• Tenant liable to pay heavy damages for breach if failed to grow indigo

Reasons for Champaran Satyagraha

• Widespread Discontent:
• Similar to Bengal, ryots in Bihar dissatisfied with indigo cultivation
• Main issue: tinkathia system

Causes of Dissatisfaction:

• Low Crop Remuneration:
• Primary reason for dissatisfaction among ryots
• Harassment by Factory Workers:
• Ryots subjected to harassment and oppression by factory workers

Protests in Champaran:

• First Protest (1867):
• Tenants of Lal Sariya factory refused indigo cultivation
• Second Protest (1907-08):
• Due to insufficient grievance redressal
• Unrest and violence in Sathi and Bettiah against tinkathia system

Planters' Demands:

• Cultivation Placement:
• Planters insisted on cultivating indigo in the best cultivable lands
• Aimed at increasing crop production
• Price Determination:
• Price paid to ryots fixed based on land area, not crop volume
• Pressure on cultivators to grow indigo in prime lands for maximum crop

Forms of Exploitation:

• Economic and Social Exploitation:
• Cultivators faced various forms of economic and social exploitation
• Agitation Against Planter Raj:
• Contributed to agitation against the existing planter raj

Intervention of Mahatma Gandhi in Champaran

• Introduction of Leaders:
• Local Congress leaders Brajkishore Prasad and Raj Kumar Shukla met Mahatma Gandhi at the 1916 Lucknow session
• Invited to witness Champaran peasants' plight

Gandhi's Initial Response:

• Initially unimpressed, Gandhi insisted on seeing the situation firsthand
• Directed leaders to pass the resolution without his involvement
• Brajkishore Prasad introduced a Congress resolution on Champaran peasants, passed unanimously

Gandhi's Arrival and Interaction with Officials:

• Gandhi arrived in Muzaffarpur and informed the Commissioner of Tirhut Division about his intention to work with government knowledge
• Stated his inquiry purpose regarding indigo cultivation and tenants' grievances in Champaran

Official Suspicions and Notice to Leave:

• Despite clarity on Gandhi's intentions, British officials suspected agitation
• Fear of public order disruption led to serving a notice under Section 144 to leave Champaran upon arrival

Gandhi's Defiant Arrival and Trial:

• Gandhi arrived in Champaran on April 15, 1917
• Wrote to the Magistrate, expressing refusal to leave and willingness to pay disobedience penalty
• Charged and summoned for trial on April 18, 1917
• Gandhi offered no defense, declared readiness for jail

Official Bafflement and Case Withdrawal:

• Gandhi's stance puzzled officials, leading to the postponement of the sentence
• Lieutenant Governor, citing insufficient evidence, ordered withdrawal of the case
• Gandhi granted permission to conduct the inquiry into Champaran peasants' grievances

Gandhi in Action

• Investigation Continuation:
• Gandhiji pursued the investigation with permission from the Lieutenant Governor
• Covered Motihari and Bettiah during the inquiry
• Assistance from Key Personalities:
• Assisted by figures such as Rajendra Prasad, Brajkishore Prasad, Mazharul Haq, J.B. Kripalani, Ramnavami Prasad, and others
• Thousands of ryots from various villages expressed dissatisfaction with the indigo cultivation system
• Bihar Planters' Association Opposition:
• Strong opposition from the Bihar Planters' Association to the inquiry
• Claimed the inquiry presented a skewed picture and could incite ryots' aggression
• Concerns of European Officials:
• Some European officials worried about the inquiry evolving into an anti-European movement
• Fear that Gandhi's investigation would negatively impact relations
• Government Intervention:
• Growing opposition led to Government intervention
• Gandhi directed to submit a preliminary report on the findings of the investigation
• Submission of Preliminary Report:
• Gandhi submitted the report on 13 May

British Reaction to Champaran Satyagraha

• The Lieutenant Governor in Council appointed a Committee of Inquiry to investigate Champaran's agrarian conditions.
• Gandhiji was selected as one of its members.

Report and Recommendations (October 4, 1917):

• The Committee submitted its report with the following recommendations:
• Abolish Tinkathia system.
• Ryots paying Tawan to factories should receive one-fourth back.
• Stop the realization of abwab (illegal cesses).
• Agreements to grow indigo should be voluntary, with a term not exceeding three years.
• The decision to select the field for indigo should be made by the ryots.

Government Response and Champaran Agrarian Act (1918):

• Almost all recommendations accepted by the Government.
• Champaran Agrarian Act in 1918 passed.
• The Tinkathia system, in place for about a century, was abolished.

Significance of the Champaran Satyagraha

• Revelation in History:
• Champaran marked a previously unheard-of methodology against imperial oppression, termed Satyagraha by Gandhi.

First Civil Disobedience Movement:

• Nationwide Attention:
• First peasant movement to gain nationwide attention
• Propelled India’s masses into the liberation struggle against British colonizers

Gandhi's Entry and Satyagraha's Significance:

• Front Seat in Nationalist Movement:
• Champaran Satyagraha positioned Gandhi at the forefront of the Indian nationalist movement
• Made satyagraha a powerful tool of civilian resistance
• Crucial move towards the birth of Gandhi’s political experiment of passive and non-violent resistance

Evolution of Mass-Based Movements:

• Bridging Peasants and Intelligentsia:
• Significance lies in bridging gaps between peasants and other sections, especially middle-class intelligentsia
• Inspiration for Thousands:
• Final resolution addressed peasants’ grievances partially
• Idea that the mighty Britishers could be forced to bend captured the imagination of thousands fighting for freedom

Yoking Peasant Unrest to Freedom Struggle:

• Champaran's Impact:
• Yoked peasant unrest to the freedom struggle
• Training Grounds for Nationwide Protests:
• Localized movements in Ahmedabad (mill workers) and Kheda (distressed peasants) served as training grounds
• Contributed to massive nationwide protests post-1919, leading to India's liberation from British rule.

Conclusion

The success of the Champaran Satyagraha not only provided a foundation for future nonviolent struggles in India but also enhanced Gandhi's stature as a leader and advocate for the rights of the oppressed. It marked a pivotal moment in his activism and paved the way for his continued efforts in fighting for justice and freedom.

FAQs on Champaran Satyagraha

1. What characterized the Satyagraha movement in Champaran?

• The Champaran Satyagraha marked Gandhi's inaugural endeavor in India, targeting the oppressive Tinkathia system.
• This system compelled farmers to cultivate indigo on 3/20th of their landholding.

2. What was the outcome of the Champaran Satyagraha?

• The Champaran movement led to the abolition of the Tinkathia system.
• Ryots who paid Tawan to factories were entitled to receive one-fourth of it back.

3. Who initiated the Champaran Satyagraha?

• Mahatma Gandhi spearheaded the Champaran Satyagraha in 1917, challenging the unjust Tinkathia system.

4. What motivated Mahatma Gandhi to come to Champaran?

• The prevailing animosity toward indigo cultivation prompted Raj Kumar Shukla, a well-off agriculturist, to persuade Mahatma Gandhi to come to Champaran and advocate for oppressed peasants.

5. When was the Champaran Agrarian Act passed?

• Maude introduced the Champaran Agrarian Bill in the Legislative Council on November 29, 1917, based on the Committee's report.
• Eventually, the Bill was passed, becoming the Champaran Agrarian Act in 1918.

6. Where is Champaran located?

• Champaran is a district situated in the northwestern region of Bihar.
• Originally part of the Tirhut division in the British Indian provinces of Bihar and Orissa.
• In 1972, it was divided into two districts: Pashchim (west) and Purbi (east) Champaran.